Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

From their jangly, clap-a-long-worthy tracks to their fantastical moniker, L.A. 10-piece Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros exude an aura of crazy cool that simply doesn’t come around that often. Part throwback band, part bizarro neo hippie collective, the band pens (and performs the life out of) tunes that cross delicate ’60s folk harmonies with exuberant instrumental builds and simple, soulful pop progressions. This Wednesday, the group rounds out their West Coast tour with a sold-out show at SOhO that promises to be one of the most exciting live music events of the season. “Everyone in the band is an artist first and foremost,” explained singer Jade Castrinos of her Magnetic Zeros family. Castrinos, who fronts group with onetime Ima Robot lead singer Alex Ebert, is just one of the reasons not to miss Ed Sharpe live. Paired with Ebert’s guttural, emotive dirges, the spritely 24-year-old’s deliveries are both childlike and disarmingly rich, calling to mind folk icons like June Carter and Nancy Sinatra.

“It was all really natural and cool how we all wound up being friends and playing music with each other,” Castrinos recalled of the band’s happenstance formation back in 2005. “In Laurel Canyon when we started recording the record—that was so magical. The skeletons of Alex’s songs were there [in the beginning], but it wasn’t until we all came along that they started coming alive.” The result, last year’s Up From Below, embodies that magic in every sense of the word. Recorded on 24-track tape in single-takes, the album captures the live performance energy and unpredictability that’s garnered the group so much critical praise. It also sounds as if they’ve all been doing this for years.

“We’re good with each other. We all love each other, and it’s just good like that,” said Castrinos. “It’s like brothers and sisters or something.”

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros play SOhO (1221 State St.) this Wednesday, March 3, at 8 p.m. with Chief as opener. Visit clubmercy.com for details.

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